And We'll Never Be Royals
by Real Life Racie
Summary: AU. Iracebeth is stuck in the out lands as a single mom with 2 teenagers to take care of. Bits and pieces of Scarlett and Hayden's childhood. Currently: Why is Stayne dead? Takes place between chapters 4 and 5.
1. The Talk

Iracebeth's teenage daughter gets her period. Her little girl is growing up, but is she ready to give her the talk?

* * *

"I'm sorry, Wendy, but I just don't trust anything that bleeds for 5 days and doesn't die!"

Mr. Garrison, South Park

* * *

"Mummy why is there blood here?" came a voice from one of the many suites in the castle.

"Iracebeth of Crims froze dead in her tracks. She desperately hoped her daughter had simply cut herself by accident or something, but she knew this wasn't the case. She had dreaded this moment for nearly 13 years. 13 years in the abandoned castle in the outlands with two teenagers, her son the product of her late husband, Her daughter's father could have been any of her several night visitors, but her appearance was all her mother and none of her potential fathers. Iracebeth loved her two heirs, Hayden and Scarlett and as far as prisoners go, they had it pretty good. The ruin that was now their home had some servants and they were well provided for.

After Stayne tried to kill her and left her to fend for herself, her son, and her unborn daughter, the Red Queen vowed to protect them and avenge them. However once she was taken to the abandoned summer palace, Iracebeth refused to leave her suite even after Scarlett was born. She felt a little guilty leaving Hayden to raise his sister and keep her alive, but she brushed the guilt off in a matter of seconds. She and her firstborn child would get in fights over this subject, screaming at each other and cursing and hurling empty threats.

"At least pretend you're the woman your daughter sees you as!" snapped Prince Hayden. He was right of course, though she'd never admit it. She wasn't the ideal mother and probably never would be. And now her Scarlett was blossoming into a woman, the splitting image of her mother as a young princess. after pondering for awhile, Iracebeth decided to take one for the team.

"Ask your brother." she called out. Hayden was going to be furious when he found out she threw him under the bus to avoid the talk with his sister, but he'd get over it.

* * *

Just a drabble about my OC the teenage princess Scarlett and her mother and her older brother, Hayden belonging to my friend Breannlt. I might write more fan fictions about this dysfunctional royal family but for now, I figured this would be funny because it's like how my mom reacted when I first got my period. She made me ask my aunt./p


	2. Cat Person

Prince Hayden was always a cat person...

* * *

"I was raised to be charming, not sincere," -Cinderella's Prince, Into the Woods

* * *

There was no way around it. Prince Hayden was a womanizer.

Hayden was a handsome young man with messy black hair and fierce red eyes, a flawless ivory complexion with a heart shaped birthmark on one shoulder. He was the best swordsman in all of Underland, smart as a whip, and unfortunately had inherited his mother's temper and sadistic be fair, it wasn't his fault. He had to grow up all too quickly. He was captain of his mother's guards at their castle in the outlands that they were confined to. Iracebeth was a paranoid woman and made her son organize a secret police to protect them and possibly conquer the kingdom when the moment was right. He had a sister who was a miniature version of her mother to deal with. He was her sole protector and guardian as their mother refused to leave her room and wasted away to almost nothing. It was sad to see the fierce woman turn into a skeletal shell of her former self. She distanced herself from her only heirs and Hayden resented every minute of it. Scarlett, three years his junior insisted their mother loved them and would probably beat the shit out of anyone who told her otherwise. Needless to say, Hayden needed an outlet to let all that bad blood and anger out. So he'd sneak out of the isolated castle when his sister was occupied in other things and didn't need him and his mother was sleeping off her rejection in her eternal pity party and meet girls.

Some of these girls were the children of his mother's enemies. So much the better! He'd reel them in with pretty words he heard men tell his mother long ago. He'd fill their hearts with hope and lust, then he'd crush them just as quick leaving a trail of jilted lovers in his wake. Did he feel any regret? Of course not! These people were traitors. Their parents were responsible for the system that created his mother, his sister and him. The whole world was going to pay for his suffering. And he loved the rush and thrill he got from making them suffer worse than he did. He lived for it.

But then there was Chessia. She was a whole different matter.

Chessia was a year younger than him and when they were children her Cheshire powers went awry and she appeared in his room by accident while Hayden was beating his sister Scarlett mercilessly at a game of poker. It was awkward at first as young Chessia had heard the horror stories about their mother and they often heard their mother refer to her father as a traitor and a scoundrel. But after awhile they grew close. Chessia taught the royal siblings to steal tarts from the kitchen without getting caught. She visited them at least once a day and now she was sixteen and he seventeen. Scarlett was fourteen and blossoming into a royal beauty of her own. But Chessia and Hayden would sneak off and whisper, and whispers turned to kisses and the rest was history. She reached out and captured the one soft part of his wretched heart, a place only reserved for Scarlett and on occasion his mother.

Yes, there was no way around it. Hayden was definitely a cat person.

* * *

Chessia belongs to KaliedscopianDaydreams and Hayden belongs to Breannlt. Scarlett is mine. Dedicated to both authors mentioned for being great friends of mine.


	3. A Strongly Worded Letter

Iracebeth writes a strongly worded letter to one of Scarlett's potential fathers, concerning child support

* * *

Dear Stayne,

How dare you leave me off alone with two children! You may not be Hayden's father, but you could quite possibly be Scarlett's! Who's Scarlett you ask!? The daughter you knocked me up with 14 years and 9 months ago! At least I think it was you. See, she's only inherited my looks and has no signs of the personalities of her potential fathers. Yeah, you're not the only one who got some loving from the queen, don't be jealous!

I demand 2 million pounds sterling a month for the upkeep of this bastard girl. I can't begin to describe the emotional damage you did when you left me after trying to kill me. But i'll try. When you left the castle, I ended up bedridden from depression and haven't had the energy to be the mother my children deserve. Hayden is a little prick and yells at me all the time and Scarlett is a spoiled brat who demands too much of me as it is in my current emotional condition

"It is sickening that not only are you a turncoat and traitor but you're a deadbeat (possible) father. If you don't give me the money, I'll go to my sister and tell her you ran off. Then I'll have my children come for you, behead you, and put it on a spike in front of our door as a warning to others. I might also add that this is my third letter this month and you've been ignoring me when you need to pay child support. You've made me a broken woman, you bloody knave, and I'll never let you forget it.


	4. The Onyx Massacre

A pregnant Iracebeth demonstrates some questionable parenting techniques when she attempts to discipline her unruly son.

* * *

Iracebeth was fuming. She had an annoying toddler by that idiot she married and now she was going to have another child only she had no idea who the father was. It had been almost 5 months, a month after banishment, and 2 weeks after Stayne left, and she was stuck in that damn castle with Hayden. Mirana treated them well. They had everything they wanted, and a small staff. Her sister had to keep her alive because of her vows.

Iracebeth was currently throwing up violently into a bucket. She hated these symptoms. To make matters worse, her son was just as loud as she was. He was playing with that stupid stuffed jabberwocky her lowlife husband gave him. It was the only thing left of him and the only reason she kept the flea-bitten thing around was that Hayden refused to go anywhere without it. Iracebeth gave into Hayden's little fits and had his nanny executed because she wasn't being competent. Of course that's what her young son said. Now he was raising hell in the kitchen, banging pots and pans. The castle had gone to hell after Hayden had no supervision. red and black fingerpaint was splattered all over the walls of the castle in disturbing images, broken china and crystal littered the floor of the halls so people had to watch where they stepped, and the chandelier in the throne room was completely destroyed because Hayden decided one day he wanted to fly ride the chandelier.

 _why me?_ she mentally cursed herself for making the same mistake she did with her husband. That noise was getting worse. Hayden was making pathetically inaccurate jabberwocky noises with his stupid toy, the one he called Onyx. The obnoxious din came from the kitchen. Iracebeth followed it. She was going to put an end to this nonsense right now. Her son needed discipline and he needed it now.

Hayden was banging knives on pans and talking to his stupid toy. Iracebeth forced on a smile.

"Darling can I see Onyx for a minute?" Hayden was surprised by his mother being so sweet and out of character but handed her the plush toy wordlessly. It seemed for a moment, mother and son were going to bond...

But who are we kidding? This is Iracebeth we're talking about.

Iracebeth took a large sharp kitchen knife that was stuck in the countertop and disembowled the poor stuffed animal by slashing it open. Then she cut off its head, arms, legs, and tail for good measure. It took a shocked Hayden a moment to realize that his only friend was "killed" by his mother. He just screamed even louder and stamped his foot.

It was then that Iracebeth decided she wasn't cut out to be a parent and she was okay with that. She went to her room and wouldn't come out for a very long time. About Hayden's entire childhood to be exact.

As for Hayden, he learned that the world was unfair and he wasn't the same ever since. But Onyx's remains were kept in a locked box under his bed. Hayden wept for the end of his childhood friend and the end of innocence that was lost when Onyx was murdered.


	5. 3's a Crowd

Hayden wants a little brother.

* * *

Iracebeth was really showing now and on the few occasions she left her room, she walked slower than she would have wanted to. She couldn't wait to get this vile thing out of her. Hayden's toy was dead and his birthday was coming pretty soon. Maybe a sibling was what he needed. She called Hayden to her would you feel about having a little brother or sister?" she asked. Hayden quirked an eyebrow.  
"Well it doesn't matter because you're going to get one because I made the same mistake I made before you came." Hayden put two and two together. That's why his mother had gained so much weight, thrown up for 5 months and acted worse than normal. And it was this baby's fault Onyx was dead he decided.

"I don't want it!" he shouted pointing accusingly at his mother's belly. "Take it back!" Oh, how Iracebeth wished she could.

"I won't have you being so nasty to the baby already. You're being a little prick and I can't handle it right now, so get out!" Hayden stalked out of the room muttering darkly to himself and slammed the door. His mother had called him a prick several times but he didn't know what it meant. In truth he didn't particularly want to having a sibling wouldn't be so bad, he thought after thinking it through. He could beat it at cards, play croquet, and best of all have a partner in crime to prank the servants. He really hoped for a brother because he thought if it was a girl she would be just as bad as his mother. His mother didn't behave like a grownup as it was but having a baby version of her was horrifying. He tried to imagine his mother dirtying her undergarments and screaming at everyone and crying wordlessly unable to speak. It was kind of satisfying, however the horror stories his mother told him about his aunt, her sister were enough to make him think little sisters were the worst thing that could happen to anyone.

Hayden eventually warmed up to the idea of having a younger sibling...he just hoped he wouldn't have a sister to deal with. Or else.


	6. A Bittersweet Birthday

Hayden wanted a horse for his birthday. Instead he got a baby sister.

* * *

Today was Hayden's birthday. He was 3 today. He was looking forward to toys and presents and cake and time with his mother. But this wasn't in the cards for him.

Sure, he got a lot of presents. A little wooden dagger painted with gold leaf, a set of croquet mallets shaped like solid gold flamingos studded with rubies, a storybook, and best of all: A horse. It was a beautiful black horse with red eyes like his, with a shock of white in his mane. Hayden wanted to ride his new friend immediately. Then tragedy was pouring down rain and hail by the bucketfuls and thunder crashed every few seconds. Hayden couldn't go to the stables even if he was allowed because the thunder scared him. His mother told him that real men weren't afraid of anything, so he tried not to be.

He went to his mother's room to hear her screaming bloody murder. It was louder than normal and she sounded like she was in pain. Hayden asked a card soldier what happened, why his mother was screaming like that. The guard explained that his sibling was thought the baby was an idiot for making his mother scream. After all only an idiot would intentionally make Iracebeth scream. He never made her scream...on dinnertime, the screaming died down and an obnoxious wail shook the walls. The guard told him that his mother had the baby. He ran into the room.

Mummy! Where is he? Where's my little brother?" Iracebeth was still wearing her maternity corset only it was too big for her now. Her petticoat had suspicious reddish brown liquid splattered around it and her hair flowed all around her. The fight in her eyes was gone, she looked drained. But when he ran in, she glared.

"Don't you mean, 'Where's she? Where's my little sister?'" his mother demanded. Hayden noticed a little red blanket in her arms that was squirming and making noises. "Come here, you can see her now." Hayden made a face. He didn't want a sister. He didn't want the trouble his mother got in with hers. Sisters were pretenders to the throne and traitors.

But when he looked at his sister all that changed. Hayden had once seen pictures of his mother as a little girl. That's what his sister looked like. She was a chubby little thing with pale skin large soft brown eyes and a tuft of red hair. She was beautiful.

"Would you like to hold her?" asked Iracebeth. She was too tired to mistreat her son, especially on his birthday and the birthday of the daughter she always wanted. Hayden held his arms out. "mind her head." she warned. Hayden cradled his baby sister in his arms. He knew his mother's change of heart wouldn't last long. He decided he would protect her from everything his mother couldn't protect him from.

"Does she have a name?" he asked.

"Scarlett. Scarlett Elizabeth Anastasia." Iracebeth said. The name suited the young princess because of her hair and because her mother was the red queen. Little Scarlett yawned and fell asleep sucking on her fingers.

It was then that Hayden was struck with the horrible reality that he would have to share his birthday with his baby sister.


	7. Another Strongly Worded Letter

Dear Hat Man,

It's been a month and you haven't paid your bloody child support! You haven't paid your bloody child support in 14 years! Maybe you don't want to remember that time we slept together when we got drunk but my daughter could quite possibly be yours. (or stayne's, i don't really know.) If you don't pay me for the upkeep of this bastard girl, then I'll take this matter to my sister. Oh yes and one more thing: since nobody can track Stayne, Scarlett needs to spend at least one weekend for you so she can say she has a father you bloody deadbeat lunatic!

Sincerely,

Iracebeth  
PS. You were absolutely horrible in bed.


	8. Daddy Issues

Tarrant was fuming. He got this letter from Iracebeth moments ago claiming that he possibly got her pregnant after a one night stand when he was imprisoned in her castle and too drunk to know what he was doing! Before he could even finish reading the letter, there was a sharp knock at his door.

A young girl about 14 years old stared at him blankly when he opened the door. She had chocolate brown eyes framed with dramatically long lashes, a heart shaped beauty mark under one eye, red heart shaped lips, ivory skin, and the longest curly dark red hair he'd ever seen down to her knees. She was dressed in a version of the dress Alice wore in the Red Queen's court and had a red and black choker and high heeled boots. A small tiara sat on her head which looked somewhat normal sized. However, there was a jeweled dagger in the girl's gloved hand, and a crudely drawn image of a stick figure in a top hat with a knife sticking through the stick figure's neck in the other.

"You're him?" she asked dryly sounding a lot like her mother. He then realized that the stick figure in the drawing was supposed to be him. He froze in shock. This was going to be a long weekend.


	9. A Typical Day

Scarlett was in her room in the abandoned castle in the Outlands where she, her mother, and brother lived. In the room across from Scarlett's was Hayden's room. He stared out the window of his room, the castle was fantastic. Amazing rooms people could only dream of but it felt more like a prison. Hayden tore off the gold crown on his head and hurled it at the door. Scarlett heard the bang and ran in.

"Hayden what are you doing!? Mummy will have another episode if she catches you doing that again!"

"I don't care!" Hayden snapped. He sat down in his chair beside the window and glared out. "We are prisoners in our own land and you and mummy pretend like you rule the trees." He scoffed. Scarlett looked at him innocently.

"That's Aunt Mirana's fault. Mummy says we're going to get power back. Someday. She's just waiting." Scarlett told her brother. Scarlett truly believed that their mother loved them no matter what she did. Suddenly, an obnoxious scream rang across the hall.

"YOU CAN'T LEAVE ME HERE TO DIE YOU BLOODY KNAVE!"

"She's having another nightmare I think." Scarlett sighed. "What was the other castle like?" she asked.

"I was young, I don't remember much. It was full of people, all sorts of underlandians. We were feared and respected. Card knights stood in the halls. It was much different." Hayden sighed and took the crown from her and put it back on his head at a slight angle like he usually wore it.

Scarlett nodded.

"I miss the people. I don't know about the rest." Hayden said. For a moment there was silence between the two siblings. Then Scarlett spoke again.

"Why doesn't anyone know who my real father is?" Scarlett asked absently. "Do you?" Hayden looked at her and shook his head. Nobody knew who Scarlett's father was, not even their mother. She'd had a few different night visitors as queen during the time of Scarlett's conception: The Hatter, The Knave, and couple other possible candidates whose identity was unknown.

"Even if I did, what difference would it make? You're still the princess, still my sister. What does a father matter?"

"You know who yours is." she pouted frustratedly. "When are things going to return to normal?" Scarlett had never known what "normal" meant, but she knew her life wasn't normal.

"What good has it done me to know mine? Normal? I doubt they ever will. Our normal isn't the same as others." Hayden said and sighed. Hayden was bitter about his father's death. His mother had his father executed for practically no reason at all. It was a sensitive subject for the young prince. Scarlett sighed. She hugged her brother. Their mother was still ranting in a lost dream from her suite.

"What's wrong with her?" Scarlett thought aloud. Hayden looked at his sister, being the only male in the house was difficult.

"Why don't you get out a deck of cards and we'll play a game. I will be back shortly." He stood to go to his mothers suite. Scarlett walked off to find a deck of cards, and Hayden walked over to their mother's room.

Iracebeth had been having a glorified pity party since she was exiled and Ilosovic Stayne left her. Scarlett knew her mother had issues but she didn't know they were this severe. Hayden had known for awhile his mother wasn't the woman she had been. Not since she was exiled and learned she was pregnant with Scarlett almost 15 years ago. He knocked on her door before entering.

"Mother. Wake up." He said as he walked over to her windows and threw open the curtains, letting in sunlight. But the Red Queen would not get up. This was an argument in the family that she never lost.

"GET OUT!" she threw a pillow at him and burrowed under the covers, sobbing her eyes out. Hayden made a face of irritation as it knocked his crown off.

"No. Get up, staying in bed sulking won't do anything." He said, they'd had this argument often. Iracebeth snorted indignantly.

I haven't left this bed since before Scarlett was born. We've had this argument too many times AND I ALWAYS WIN! NOW GO!" Hayden rolled his eyes at his psychotic mother.

"Believe me I know, I've practically had raise my own sister and keep you alive. The least you could do is pretend to be the woman your daughter sees you as." He snapped and picked up his crown. It was true. Scarlett thought of her mother as the most important woman in the world and wanted to be just like her when she grew up. She prided herself on being a miniature version of the former Red Queen, and insisted that she cared even if she knew she didn't.  
"That sounds like a you problem." snapped Iracebeth. "and Scarlett knows that one day when I get my energy back, I will give you two the kingdom you deserve." She said that a lot, but Hayden didn't believe it at all. Scarlett did, but she believed everything their mother told her, following her blindly. Hayden scoffed.  
"Energy back!" He grumbled to himself and slammed the door as he left. Scarlett was waiting outside the door cards in hand. She'd heard everything.  
"How'd it go? Is she okay?"  
"Just fine, shall we?" Hayden gestured to the cards and heading back to his room, his sister walking behind him. Scarlett didn't believe him. She wouldn't play until he told her what she wanted to know. She raised a thin eyebrow and put her gloved hands on her hips.  
"Why does she stay in bed all the time?" asked Scarlett. She had no memory of her mother out of her bed. Hayden did some fancy shuffling of the cards and shrugged.  
"She's resting." He knew it was a lie but he didn't want to destroy her fantasy that their mother cared. Scarlett still wasn't convinced.  
"Was having me really that hard for her? I know she uses me as an excuse." Scarlett sighed. It was true. Her mother always ranted to nobody in particular about the "bastard girl" who made her bedridden even though she really wasn't.  
"You're not an excuse. She is resting so she can rule again one day." Hayden said, dealing the cards. Scarlett nodded.  
"We gonna play or what?" The familiar voice of their mother rang across the halls once again.  
"CAN SOMEONE COME HERE AND RUB MY FEET!?" Scarlett started to get up.  
"Let the servants do their jobs Scarlett. Relax." he told her. It was against their Aunt's vows to make anyone suffer so they were well provided for in the abandoned castle. They played for a while until Hayden revealed a Royal Flush. Scarlett glared at him. She'd never once beaten her brother at poker. But she couldn't stay mad for long. After awhile, they started laughing and played again. Scarlett didn't mind losing at cards as long as her brother was there.


	10. Iracebeth Rips Off Shia Lebouf

Today was the exiled royal family's least favorite day of the year: the anniversary of the Frabjous Day. For the rest of Underland, it was a huge holiday. Not for Scarlett, Hayden and Iracebeth however. Iracebeth was always more out of it than usual and participated in angry manic conversations with imaginary subjects and screaming at people who weren't really there. Apparently nobody listened to the former queen anymore and she had pretty much lost it. Scarlett and Hayden made it a point to stay away from their mother.

Scarlett and Hayden were sitting in Hayden's room. They were both studying dominion over living things, something their mother excelled at in her youth. It ran in the family, so they were good at it too. Scarlett was currently reading an illustrated handbook of medieval torture, and Hayden was taking notes on something else. They were bored out of their minds. Scarlett had already read the book cover to cover more times than she could count. She practically had it memorized. Hayden doodled on the page a bit. Then, there was a puff of smoke.

"Greetings, your ticket to sanity has arrived!" purred a familiar voice. Chessia, or Ches as she was called by friends, was Scarlett's best friend, Hayden's girlfriend and the daughter of the Cheshire Cat. She was the only person the siblings knew outside of their family and looked forward to her stories about the outside world. Chessia's other friends didn't approve of her relationship with Hayden but she really didn't care. Her signature grin was plastered on her face. Hayden looked up,

"Ah so you're what counts for sanity these days?" He asked dryly. Scarlett giggled at the remark. Ches grinned and hummed.

"I'm a great as it comes, heh." she smirked. Scarlett lit up when she saw her friend

"Any news we would find interesting?" she asked. Ches shrugged.

"Probably not. Other than Alice's children going nuts from time to time. And your girlfriend has gotten ten times cuter since you last saw her…" she finished turning to Hayden for the last part. Alice's children especially didn't approve of Ches's relationship with the children of the Red Queen. Alex, who was Hayden's age was especially outspoken about this, and from what the siblings had heard about him (and his mother), they didn't think very highly of him either. Scarlett decided to lighten the subject.

"How's your little brother?" she asked. Ches had a younger brother, Scarlett's age named Cena. They'd never met before, but Hayden and Scarlett heard a lot about him.

"Oh Cen? He's doing ok, lazy as always, he's getting better at using his powers too!" All three teenagers laughed. Cena was notoriously horrible at his Cheshire powers ending up in the strangest of places when he disappeared, like a teapot or a hat, or even other worlds. These stories always amused Scarlett to no end.

"Good, I'm glad he improved," Hayden sat back in his seat. Scarlett nodded in agreement.

"Yup." Ches hummed before appearing on his desk sitting on the edge of it. She pouted. "Can I get some attention now?" Scarlett didn't really notice what Ches meant.

"Do you want some?" Hayden teased.

Ches pouted. "Yes, I do. " Scarlett realized what they were talking about and made a face.

"Get a bloody room you two!" she said disgusted. She was only 14, Ches was 16, and Hayden was 17, and romance confused her. Hayden glared at his sister, and Chessia broke out laughing.

That's when the unthinkable happened. Their mother stood in the doorway. The former Red Queen was now so thin she was skeletal. Her fingernails had been chewed up and she wore a ripped and dirty corset and petticoat that was way too big for her and was slipping down. Her red wavy hair normally pinned up was tangled and flowed down to her knees under a bag she'd placed over her head with the inscription "I'm Not Queen Anymore" almost illegibly written in what looked to be lipstick. Scarlett's jaw dropped that her mother was acting like this. Hayden was equally shocked.

"Go back to bed mother." he said tersely.

"Oh, now he wants me to go back to bed." Iracebeth snapped sarcastically. Scarlett didn't know what to make of this situation. "What's she doing?" she whispered to Ches. Ches, for once, was silent and just watched the situation play sighed, he was getting tired of trying to keep everyone happy.

"Back to bed mother!" He snapped at her fiercely.

"YOU CANT MAKE ME! YOU CAN'T MAKE ME, YOUR SISTER CAN'T MAKE ME AND YOUR LITTLE GIRLFRIEND CAN'T MAKE ME EITHER! I'VE SUFFERED ENOUGH!" Iracebeth screamed at the top of her lungs. Scarlett cowered under her brother's desk. Ches flinched and her cat ears pressed against the sides of her head. She looked at Scarlett then at Hayden then at Iracebeth. Hayden stepped up to face her and ripped the bag off her head.

"I can and will make you! You are not well!" He snarled in irritation. He could be a dangerous young man if he wanted to be. Iracebeth's face was covered in smeared makeup.

"I'M FINE! EVERYTHING IS FINE!" Scarlett stayed under the desk, frozen in fear.

"GO BACK TO YOUR ROOM!" Hayden got angry.

"YOU AND YOUR SISTER ARE UNWORTHY!" Iracebeth stormed back to her room in tears. Everyone could hear her ranting down the hall about how she brought Hayden and Scarlett into the world and could just as easily get rid of them. Hayden slammed the door, furious at his mother for barging in like this. Scarlett was disturbed by her mother's words and began to cry softly. All she wanted was her mother to be proud of her. She was desperate for motherly affection and idolized her mother. She blamed herself for her mother staying shut up in her room all day because of her mother's ranting. Ches went over to Scarlett, she had known them long enough to be somewhat used to Iracebeth's trauma tantrums but she also knew the affect they had on Scarlett. She held in a sigh and focused on trying to cheer Scarlett up before she dealt with Hayden.

"Lettie," Ches said quietly to get her boyfriend's sister's attention using the nickname she gave her. Scarlett looked up, her chocolate brown eyes wet with tears. Ches gave her a warm smile, not like her usual childish grins, patted the young princess's head and spoke.

"It'll be okay, I know it's difficult at the moment but everything will work out for you three, okay?" She said quietly.

"She hasn't left that bed ever." said Scarlett, in a soft monotone. "Not since before she had me."

"That isn't your fault." Ches said, shaking her head.

"Why does she rant about some bastard girl who ruined her life then?" Scarlett gave a fierce glare that normally terrified the servants and reduced them to tears, but Chessia wasn't afraid.

"Lettie, you aren't to blame, neither is Hayden, neither of you have done anything wrong." Ches said. "I know it's difficult, but you can't blame yourself."

"Good thing I don't care then," Hayden interrupted the moment between his sister and girlfriend. Both girls rolled their eyes. At this point Ches was curled up on Hayden's bed just listening, while she craved his attention today she wouldn't stop the siblings from having their moments, they needed one another after all.

"So who's hungry?" asked Scarlett. Hayden nodded.

"I am, Ches?" He looked at her.

"I'm hungry, for something else— Kidding, no I'm ok, go and eat, I'll be right here waiting." Ches said looking up at him and grinning to herself about yet another innuendo she had made. Hayden gave her a look and Scarlett was unfazed by the remark.

"I'll go down and get us something." She went downstairs in search of something to eat.

"Thanks Lettie," Hayden said as she left, closing the door behind her. You could hear her yelling at the cook from downstairs. Alone at last, Ches rolled over to Hayden and looked up at him. Hayden looked at Ches as Scarlett left.

"Sneaky little cat aren't you." He said. Ches smiled

"I suppose you could say that." She mused and wrapped her arms around him. "I just get a bit restless when my boyfriend doesn't pay attention to me. Plus this overwhelming amount of frustration is driving me nuts. Heh, more so than usual." She said honestly.

"I am paying attention to you." Hayden told his girlfriend. He kissed her softly, "I wouldn't ignore you. Frustration? Hopefully we aren't thinking the same thing." He raised an eyebrow. Ches kissed him back and when he pulled away to speak she hummed.

"Depends, we may be thinking the same thing, but I've already told you this frustration is one only you can help." She mused, stretching like a cat in the sun.

"You do have a twisted little mind don't you." Hayden smirked at his girlfriend. Ches laughed a bit.

"I'm a Cheshire Cat, it runs in the family, besides, I've dealt with it pretty well, I'm still a teen with raging hormones after all." Hayden chuckled.

"Do try to control them, I have two women in the castle. One hates me and the other is quite innocent." He said kissing her neck. Ches purred seductively.

"Not my fault you're so good looking, now is it Mr. Crown Prince?" She mused tilting her head. Hayden laughed and pulled her into his lap.

"Don't be so tempting." Ches let a smug smile creep onto her face and wrapped her arms around his neck

"I don't try to be, it's natural."

"You're a natural aphrodisiac." Hayden chuckled.

"I suppose I am." Ches said as she leaned up to kiss him.

"Guess so." Hayden kissed her.

Ches smirked into the kiss, her eyes closing as she deepened the kiss. Hayden ran his hands through her hair as he pulled her closer. Ches pushed him down, so she was looming over him. She kept the kiss going of course. Hayden flipped them and kissed her passionately. Ches' hand gripped his shirt as she kissed him back roughly, she tugged at the fabric as if telling him to take it off. Hayden took of his black and red vest and began to unbutton his white shirt. Ches pulled off her flannel shirt, which she never wore properly anyway, and tossed it onto the floor, she wriggled out of her jeans and tossed them by her shirt. He kissed down her neck, now shirtless. She tangled her fingers in his hair, she wrapped her other arm around him and making a soft purring sound.

"What's going on!?" asked Scarlett who had just walked into the room with a tray of pastries and a pot of tea. She'd eaten half the pastries on the tray and there were crumbs around her red heart shaped lips. She nearly dropped the food, turned on her heel and left, disturbed by what she'd seen. Hayden chuckled and Ches flashed him a wide grin.

"Now, where were we…?"


	11. La Resistance

"We're gonna overthrow the government." What disturbed Hayden the most was that Scarlett said like it was the most obvious and casual thing in the world when she went into his room begging him to help her and latching onto his legs like a little girl. He definitely didn't expect this idea.

"You're insane." he knew why she wanted to do this. She wanted their mother to be proud of them and wanted things the way they used to be in the stories he told her back when their family was feared and respected. Scarlett craved closeness with her mother with every fiber of her being. She prided herself on being a miniature Iracebeth, even though that wasn't always the smartest thing to do

Scarlett pouted and stamped her foot on the floor in frustration. "I'm not I swear." she insisted. "Look don't you want to be feared and respected again? To get the recognition we deserve? To see our mother when she doesn't have her episodes?" Hayden wouldn't admit it but the idea was appealing. But it wasn't realistic at all. He looked away.

"No one will follow us with the white queen."

"We could force them to..." said Scarlett, "That's what mummy did."

Hayden rolled his eyes. "Force? We have no leverage Lettie." Scarlett wasn't going to lose this argument so easily.

"You forget that nobody there fights and we have superior combat skills and battle strategy, better weapons plus a burning thirst for power and revenge." she said./"That's not enough, Mom had that." Hayden pointed out.

"She didn't have you and I." Scarlett said in a singsong tone.

"Still..." Hayden wasn't entirely convinced.

Scarlett made one final effort in the argument and knew exactly what to say. "And the people most precious to our family's enemies didn't exist either." She'd heard enough about them from Ches's stories to know their strengths and weaknesses, and that's why she was sure she could defeat them.

Her brother finally relented. "Alright let's play around here, humor me." Hayden said.

"We'll kidnap their kids and lure the parents here with them as bait. It's foolproof." Scarlett explained. Hayden stared at his sister blankly. Scarlett huffed. "You have a better idea, Mr. Crown Prince?"

"No I am saying play it out. What would happen, prove to me you know what you're doing." he told her.

"So we riot into the mainland kidnap the spawn of everyone, keep them in the torture chamber while I give them something to cry about and then we write a ransom note to lure the parents here make sure they come unarmed and when they come in we'll have them surrounded and we'll take what's rightfully ours." Scarlett had put a lot of effort into this plan. It was almost scary what she was really capable of.

"And the queen and princess?" Hayden asked. Hayden was talking about their aunt and cousin, who visited them once every year. Scarlett and Hayden resented their Aunt Mirana and cousin Kaylin more than anyone else.

"We'll make them suffer the most." Scarlett had a very nasty out of character look on her face. Normally she seemed very innocent. This was weird. She went on."First we get the parents out of the way with an anonymous tip that something's going to happen and lead them all on a wild goose chase. That's when we make our move."

"And when our aunt and cousin send an army?" Hayden asked.

"Ours is better." Scarlett stated plainly and bluntly. "Theirs is a bunch of amateurs."

"They have killed, just because the queen won't doesn't mean her soldiers will hesitate. Ours is smaller. We can't let our ego place over our sense Lettie. That's what Mother did." Hayden corrected her. Scarlett was a bit of an egomaniac when she had these "bright ideas." She got that from her mother.

"Fine! what do you suggest we do?" Scarlett's face flushed and she stormed out of the room. These hostile takeover plots made her tired. Maybe her ideas could wait a little longer. For now, she needed a nap.


	12. Daddy Issues II

Dinner that night was extremely awkward. Scarlett normally ate in her room or her brother's room while they discussed their plots or what was going on. Tarrant, and his son, Topher who had no idea who Scarlett really was, and Scarlett tried not to look at each other. Topher decided to break the silence.

"So, Scarlett, where are you from?" He asked trying to make this easy. Scarlett wasn't used to normal conversations unless she was with Ches or Hayden.

"I live in a desolate ruin of an ancient summer palace in a barren wasteland with my mother, my brother, and our servants since _some people_ don't want us in normal Underland society." she said in a monotone, and reaching for a squimberry tart. They reminded her of home. Both Tarrant and Topher blinked at the hostility and bluntness in her voice and what she said. Scarlett went on.

"I've never left home before, but my mother sent me here because _certain people_ knocked my mother up and left and didn't even know I existed." Scarlett said. Tarrant flushed pink.

"How was I supposed to know!? It was one night, we were both very drunk and we ended up naked in her broken bed and she threw me out!" he exclaimed.

Topher looked at his new supposed half sister and then at his father. Scarlett slouched in the chair, stuffing her face with tarts and looking very pleased with herself. Tarrant was glaring at her.

"Dad, what's going on? Who is Scarlett's mother?"

Scarlett gave a laugh that immediately reminded Tarrant of Iracebeth. "My mother is the one true queen of this realm." she said. "The most feared woman in Underland. She says I'm her mini me and that I'm beautiful, beloved and innocent, wouldn't you agree?" Tarrant face palmed.

Of course Iracebeth would say Scarlett was beautiful, she was the splitting image of her mother as a young princess. Scarlett was certainly innocent, she'd been spoon fed everything she knew by the former queen, and didn't seem to have any control what came out of her mouth.

Topher dropped his spoon he was stirring his tea with. "You mean your mother is the Bluddy Begh Hid?"

Scarlett had never heard that phrase before in her life. "What does that mean?" she asked innocently. Tarrant and Topher exchanged a look decided not to give her a response. "My dear Scarlett, would you like something other than tarts?" Tarrant asked changing the subject.

"Not really, I grew up eating these." she said, wiping crumbs off her mouth. "But yours are much better than back home. Are you going to eat the rest?" Scarlett was a thin and wiry girl. You could circle your wrist with your thumb and finger. You'd never know she ate so much if you looked at her. She grabbed the tray and started to finish them off.

"So, Tarrant? You make hats? Mummy once said you were very gifted." Tarrant didn't know Iracebeth thought so highly of his trade. Not since they were children before their falling out. "I'd love to watch you make them. Maybe you could make some for me to go with my favorite gowns? I'm sure she'd love some too."

Tarrant lit up at the girl's sudden interest. "Certainly, my dear." Maybe the little brat wasn't so bad after all.


	13. Bedtime Story

"Tarrant, will you tell me a story?" asked Scarlett, who was settled into the spare room in a black satin nightgown with her long red hair spread in all directions. Tarrant sat at the foot of his estranged daughter's bed. Scarlett's wide brown eyes pleaded with him. He'd grown attached to the exiled princess. He decided to tell her a story that he hadn't remembered in years, but seeing Scarlett refreshed his memory.

"Once upon a time, there were two friends. They were as close as anything. They rode horses together, and had tea parties in the attic and chased butterflies all over Underland. But one day, one of the friends became Queen…"

"Becoming Queen is good." said Scarlett.

"Yes, yes, but a servant was chosen to put the crown on her head, which for whatever reason was abnormally large. He got nervous, and it broke. The queen's friend laughed and everyone else did too. Then the queen had a meltdown and called her friend an idiot. Her father wasn't happy with her behavior and made the queen's sister the new queen."

"That's not fair!" protested Scarlett, her voice rising. "It wasn't her fault the crown broke! Her friend made her mad!"

"That's what the girl in this story thought too, Scarlett. She blamed her friend for everything. She became cold and distant and grew apart from her best friend. Time passed, and eventually the girl seized her sister's throne and destroyed her former friend's whole family. Her friend recruited the help of the love of his life to overthrow the queen, and they did. But what he didn't know was that when he was trapped in the queen's castle, when he became a man and she a woman, they created a life in one night. But the man didn't know that the exiled queen was with child and had given birth to a beautiful baby girl while in banishment. He didn't know he missed his daughter's first words, first steps, and didn't even get to make her a hat."

Scarlett yawned, failing to see the connection of the story to real life. "Make it a happy story." she commanded sleepily.

"But then one day, a girl appeared at his door. She looked just like her mother, his old friend before their falling out. She said her mother sent her and that he was her father. And after some conflict, they were reunited and lived happily ever…"

He didn't finish because Scarlett was already snoring softly in her sleep. "Goodnight princess." Tarrant said, kissing the top of Scarlett's normal sized head.

That night, Scarlett dreamed about Tarrant's bedtime story. And it was in her dreams when she realized that the woman in the story was her mother.


	14. Mutiny at Mirana's

A/N: The song from this chapter is Today We Rise from Galavant. it's a parody of Do You Hear the People Sing? From Les Mis and I thought it would be perfect for when Scarlett tries to stage an uprising. Brownie points if you can guess who Iracebeth's new "friend" is...they will make their appearance soon enough.

Scarlett's mother was visiting a "friend" so Scarlett and Hayden had the castle to themselves. Hayden had busied himself with Ches and Scarlett decided to get some of the card soldiers together and stage an uprising. She'd been planning this for a few days. She stood up on her mother's throne and started her prepared speech she'd written with some lipstick on a piece of parchment.

"Greetings, card minions. As you know my mother is visiting her very special friend, and my brother is with his girlfriend, and they're too busy for this moment in history. But as they aren't available the power now falls to me. Today is an important day in our history. We will get my horse from the stable, ride into Marmoreal, storm the castle, avenge my mother and take back what should be rightfully ours!" She did a trust fall into a pile of cards who parted so she fell on the floor.

"That's strike one, you ingrates!" Scarlett snapped. "Prepare my horse! Let's go storm my aunt's castle! NOW!"

A few minutes later, Scarlett was dressed in her riding outfit with a dagger strapped to each leg and riding her horse. They were singing as they came into Underland.

The cards started: "We will march and we'll fight for the cause of good and right."

"Though the odds of us surviving are ridiculously slight!" interjected Scarlett's voice. 2 card soldiers near the back ducked out of formation and ran back to the castle. Scarlett didn't notice and went on.

"We will stand proud and tall till they come to kill us all! Then we'll beg and plead and soil ourselves As one by one we fall!" 3 card soldiers jumped into a nearby lake to swim to safety as Scarlett continued in her lost dream.

"Some they'll slash, some they'll hack, Some they'll bludgeon blue and black, Some they'll gut from top to bottom, Some they'll mangle front to back! And we'll all realize As they're gouging out our eyes That tomorrow we'll regret it, But today we rise!" Scarlett had a very vivid imagination but her aunt's army probably wouldn't do what she described. A dozen more cards ran for their lives and decided not to follow the delusional princess. Scarlett sang as they made it into Underland. Some people gathered outside to watch the spectacle. Topher and Tarrant watched appalled.

"Father, what's Scarlett doing?" asked Topher.

"Mutiny." Was Tarrant's reply. They just stared dumbstruck.

"and our corpses will rot on the plain, Leaving only a gross, bloody stain, Then the world, it will see, As will all of history, We had truth on our sideBut we still died in vain" 20 more card soldiers cleared out of the way as Scarlett was singing but not looking behind her.

"And the brave and lucky few, Who will somehow make it through, Scarred for life and missing limbs, And need help to pee and poo, They can stand 'neath these skies, Begging change from passerby's, Is it hopeless, yep you said it, We might as well forget it, Tomorrow we'll regret it, But today we rise!  
Oh my God, will we regret it But today we rise!"

Now nobody was left behind Scarlett. She hadn't noticed and was standing in front of her aunt's drawbridge. She started yelling at the closed drawbridge.

"You're so tough now, aren't you! We're gonna tear down this castle brick by brick! Right everybody!? I SAID RIGHT, EVERYBODY!?" Scarlett finally looked behind her and realized everyone ditched her. "why do musicals always get me so worked up?" she asked herself aloud.

Just then the door opened and Scarlett's aunt Mirana was standing there.

"Scarlett, dear, how nice to see you. Did my sister send you here for a visit? Kaylin's been waiting for you to come for months now. We were just sitting down for some buttered fingers, why don't you join us?" She took Scarlett by the hand and took her inside. "NOOOOOOOO!" screamed the exiled princess as she was defeated by her aunt and forced into social interactions with her "lovely relatives".


	15. The Talk Part II

"HAYDEN!" Scarlett shrieked running into his room in her nightgown. Hayden rolled his eyes and got up from his desk. "Yes, Lettie?" He was in no way prepared for what she wanted.

She was obviously very scared about whatever she wanted to talk about, he could see it in her eyes. "There's blood coming out of my lady hole, but I didn't get cut there and I asked Mummy what was happening to me and she told me you'd explain everything." she said.

Hayden blinked. He wasn't expecting this. He'd assumed his sister had already gotten her period before. She was fourteen after all and apparently a late bloomer. "So this hasn't happened before?" he asked, still shocked that his mother refused to give her Scarlett the girl to girl talk. Scarlett shook her head, her red corkscrew curls bouncing. He was sick of trying to cover for his mother. He tried to explain as best he could"

"Well…you see, Lettie, there's a monster in your belly that only girls have. It's called the Uterus or sometimes the Womb. It only wants one thing more than anything in the world, do you know what that is?"

"No."

" A baby." Scarlett gasped. She'd never heard a story like this before. She liked stories.

"Go on." she said.

"But you're not ready to have children yet. And if anyone wants to have children with you, It'll be off with his bloody prick, OK? Don't have sex, Scarlett. Cause you'll become pregnant. Or get STDs. And die."

Scarlett was confused. "What?"

Hayden shook his head and went on. "So the monster inside you gets angry. And every month it makes blood come out of your…er…lady hole. And sometimes it gives you cramps and makes you tired and dizzy. You have no control over your emotions and become angrier than Mummy." He tried to explain. This was kind of fun. Scarlett listened eagerly.

"After a few days, sometimes a week, the monster accepts sacrifices of chocolate, and things like that so the bleeding stops. But it's never gone for long. The same thing happens again every month."

"Does the monster make you bleed too?" asked Scarlett.

"No it most certainly doesn't, don't be ridiculous. But it makes Mummy and Ches, and Aunt Mirana and Kaylin bleed just like you are right now."

"Why?"

"Because you're a girl and so are they." he said.

"that's not fair…" said Scarlett.

"Life's not fair, Lettie. Nobody knows that better than us. Let's go get some hot chocolate. Maybe that'll calm down the monster." He led her down to the kitchen. He'd have to have a word about this with his mother...

A/N: I had writers block for a bit but then my friends from theatre gave me some ideas and requested this. This chapter wouldn't have existed if it weren't for Denver and Brianna. As always, thank you to my Underland family, Meg, Bre, and Tori. I'll post a new chapter soon!


	16. When Hayden is King

When her brother was king, Scarlett would still be princess. Nothing would change that. Scarlett wasn't meant to be a queen. She was second born to their mother. She was illegitimate and nobody knew who her father really was. She didn't take much seriously. But she had no resentment for Hayden. They were a team. She was confident that he would be a great king when their mother passed on. To tell the truth, she had no real interest in ruling. She just wanted to live in luxury in her brother's court and ride his coattails while he made all the important decisions.

When her brother was king, she'd always be loyal to him. Her brother raised her and protected her. He was her best friend. She thought he was the coolest older brother. He let her be the third wheel on his dates with Chessia, he taught her how to shuffle cards properly, how to ride a horse, fight, and play croquet. Scarlett believed that everyone should be jealous of her because she had such a great brother.

When her brother was king, he'd make Ches his queen. Her friend would become her sister in law. Scarlett wanted to find someone who loved her as much as Ches loved her brother. But Ches had become part of the family. She was like a real sister to Scarlett, and when Scarlett wasn't with her brother, she was likely playing with Ches.

But most importantly, when her brother was king, she'd make everyone who made their life miserable pay through the nose.


	17. We're Back!

Ches hummed softly ( to nobody in particular ), pulling herself closer to Hayden, she sat on his lap while the two were at his desk, she didn't know what he was doing though.

"You make working hard." Hayden looked at her on his lap.

"It shouldn't be easy. You're dating a cheshire cat, dearest prince." She mused, smiling slightly.

"Believe me it isn't, I don't know why I put up with you." He chuckles.

"Ah, that's simple. Becaaaause, you love me and the attention I give you." Ches grinned and after a moment she had shifted to sit with her legs around him, leaning up to kiss him for a second.

"How am I supposed to get things done with you tempting me?"

"You could always take a break." She mused, cuddling closer once more, putting her head on his shoulder. "You know what I'm like."

"I know I could but you always manage to convince me to take a break but I still need these done." He pointed out.

"Hnn. Fiiiine. I'll be patient. I'm not gonna move though." The young cheshire said rather blandly, leaning on his shoulder again. "So I do hope you're not troubled by that."

"I find that I've gotten used to a lot of things about you." He chuckles continuing his work.

"That's good, makes me much more bearable." She giggled.

Hayden chuckles at this, "Where is Lettie. She's been quiet." He muttered. Lettie was never quiet.

"Maybe she's sleeping or something." Ches suggested, her eyes closing as she twirled her bangs around her finger. She hadn't seen the adolescent princess either.

"Or she's up to something." Hayden mused. Right on cue, Lettie ran into the room, a miniature top hat pinned into her curls.

"I was visiting my maybe-daddy! He made me a hat!" she said excitedly. "He doesn't like Mummy."

Ches looked up from Hayden's shoulder. She blinked. "Oh, hi Lettie."

"What did I tell you Ches?" Hayden looked at her, "Up to something."

"Mum sent him a letter for child support and then she sent me over there for a weekend. He doesn't like our mum but he's okay." explained Scarlett.

"Well.." Ches raised an eyebrow, playing with the lace around the cuffs of her gloves.

"and...I met someone. But I can't say who. It's a secret." Scarlett giggled.

Hayden picked up Ches and stold up with her still in his arms, "Lettie you should've told me. Mum isn't always thinking clearly."

"I didn't have time. She sent me out of the castle real quick." Scarlett put her hands on her hips.

"I still think you should've come to me and what do you mean you've met someone?"

"He didn't know who he was dealing with." Scarlett added.

Chessia simply shifted to be comfortable. Her arms wrapped around him and she looked at Lettie, amusedly. "Give her a break Hayden"

"He said I was pretty." Scarlett said slyly just to annoy her brother a tiny bit, but she did love it when people said she was pretty.

Hayden gave Ches a look, "Ches, I'm not overreacting you know what the rest of them think of us. If she'd been discovered it would've been disastrous. Someone calling you pretty doesn't mean they'd die for you Lettie. You should've stayed here."Though Ches frowned, she didn't say anything and just sighed under her breath.

"He doesn't know who I am. I wore that ugly dress Aunt Mirana bought me and I hid my hair. I know he wouldn't die for me, but he's no threat because he's not even from here" Scarlett said. She was glad to know something her brother didn't. Hayden's eyes narrowed. He sat Ches down on his chair.

"Hayden-" Ches grabbed his wrists once he'd set her down. "Lettie stop it."

"I haven't even told you who the guy I met was." Scarlett whined. She was having fun now.

"That's enough for now-" Ches said speaking dramatically loud as she stood in between them.

Scarlett sighed. "Ok. Maybe I can tell Mum about my weekend."

"If I see any boy in here that is part of that other bloody kingdom I swear I'll behead him!" Hayden snarled in warning.

"I was only getting information out of him. I want nothing to do with him after what his mother did to our mother." Scarlett said. "I just wanted directions. If he knew who I was he'd turn me in. He thinks I'm a refugee named Anastasia."

"Guys... Stop.. Please." Ches almost pleaded, the tuffs of hair that looked like ears seemed to move against her head like a normal cat's would.

Scarlett got the warning. "Shutting up." she said. Hayden let out a growl from his throat and turned toward the window facing away from them. Scarlett looked at the floor. Ches sighed again, looking at Lettie and whispering.

"Give us a moment, please Lettie." She said before turning to walk over to Hayden. Scarlett flounced off to her room to throw knives at the portrait of her aunt. Then she doodled disturbing images with fingerpaint on the walls to amuse herself.

Hayden stared out the window. Ches walked up to him.

"Hayd?" She spoke softly, her arms wrapping around his torso.

"She always does the most reckless things. She looks at our insane mother as if she was perfect and her hero but I raised her and took care of her when that woman did nothing but get her into dangerous predicaments." Hayden snarled.

"I know.. But, she's still young Hayden, she can only learn from her mistakes, she has you and she's a smart girl." Ches tried to explain.

"She's going to get herself killed. And this boy? How do we know it's nothing and she isn't just lying." He sat down. Ches moved to hug him properly.

"I know you're worried, but I think you should put more trust in her Hayden.." When Ches pulled away from him she'd begun to stroke his cheek.

"Perhaps you're right." he sighed. Ches didn't say anything else, instead kept stroking his cheek. Hayden calmed down after a bit. After awhile, Scarlett walked into the room.

"Are you okay now?" Ches asked, looking up at him, her makeshift ears standing straight again.

"Better." Hayden nodded. Ches had gone to kiss him, but noticed Scarlett, so instead she didn't and just sat there.

"So, what'd I miss?" Scarlett was perched on Hayden's bed. Hayden sat back.

"I'm not leaving the castle without your permission." Scarlett announced. "I'm not going to be reckless anymore."

"I was about to snog your brother's face off, but you know, not much." Ches grinned, wiggling her eyebrows as she held onto Hayden. Scarlett made a face.

"Boys are gross."

"Yes, yes, I know. But that's okay sometimes." Ches said calmly. Scarlett nodded.

"My brother's the only exception." said Scarlett.

"I was about to say, you don't know gross yet." Hayden chuckled. Ches' grin hadn't yet faltered and probably wouldn't while she remained amused.

"I'm bored." said Scarlett to nobody in particular. Hayden looked at Ches, his mind couldn't seem to turn off and relax. He was the heir to the throne. The older brother to the princess. The son of the Red Queen. He shouldn't be so out of the loop when it comes to what his mother and sister were up to.

"Ches, why don't you and Lettie have a girls day. I know how much you both enjoy it." Scarlett perked up.

"If it's ok with you."

"A girl's day? Hm." Ches pondered this. Her head tilted a bit, causing her bangs and fringe to shift, revealing her left eye, still as brightly colored as the other. "That's fine with me. Buuuut. You owe me a great load of attention." She said tapping his nose with her finger. "So, I expect some later." She mused with a sly smile before she stood.

"Of course." Hayden smiled at her.

"What happens on a girls day?" Scarlett asked. Nobody ever took her out on one. Chessia acknowledged Hayden with a nod before answering Scarlett,

"You'll see."

"ok!" Scarlett was excited. Hayden waited for them to leave before he threw his crown on the bed and went to his closet changing into different clothes. He grabbed an old hat to cover his black hair and hid anything else that could give away his identity. That would keep them busy for a few hours. Meanwhile Hayden had some ideas of his own. He was going to find out who that boy his sister mentioned was.


	18. The Closet

Hayden walked out of the castle wanting to find out who was the boy his sister had met. He wanted to just trust that it was nothing but it wouldn't be good enough for him. Scarlett was young and she could be naive when it came to her feelings. He wasn't about to just leave it alone. Hayden walked around for quite some time before he ran into anyone.

Calissa Pillar was looking at him curiously from her side of the tree. "Can I help you?" Hayden asked.

Calissa grinned, "No, but those who play in the fire of the heart burn while trying to prevent a rip." She chuckled and flew off in her butterfly form.

Hayden looked irritated but kept going. He ran into a few more underlanders but they weren't his concern. He finally sat down in irritation. "Hey man you lost?" A boy with blonde hair and blue eyes asked him. Hayden's eyes narrowed slightly he looked familiar.

"Guess you could say that." Hayden muttered.

"Haven't seen so many people get lost since my mom was here." He chuckled. Hayden looked up,

"Someone else was lost?"

"Yeah a girl wandered through here a few days ago."

Hayden looked at him. "Where was she heading?"

Alex looked around, "The hatters house if I remember correctly."

Hayden nodded. "Was her name Anastasia?"

Alex nodded, "Yes, I think that was it."

Hayden stood up, "what's your name then?"

"Alex Kingsley." Alex smiled.

Hayden had to take some breaths before nodding. "I know where Anastasia is if you'd like to see her sometime."

"Yeah I'd love that." Alex smiled.

"Why not come with me then?" Hayden suggested. "I can lead you to her house."

Alex smiled he would like to see her again, "Alright." Hayden smiled and led Alex to the end of the Outlands. "Hey I'm not supposed to be out here."

Hayden shrugged, "Probably not." He grabbed him and knocked him out before dragging him to the castle. How dare his sister talk to The Champions son?!

Alex was on his way to Underland because he was going to bring back some tea for Alena as he knew how much she loved it. Now, however, he was sitting in Hayden's room tied up and just barely gaining consciousness. He hoped he didn't have on of his insanity attacks. Alex shook his head, "What are you doing?!" He said slightly panicked. Hayden had changed back to his regular clothes, "Oh excuse me I didn't see you had woken up. I'm Hayden, heir to the Red Queens throne." Oh crap...Alex thought, looking up at him.

"What do you want with me?"

"I want you to die a slow and painful death but that's later." snarled Hayden. "Stay here would you?" Hayden asked Alex and chuckled. He went to the room Ches and Scarlett were in.

Meanwhile, Ches was enjoying her time with Scarlett. Both girls were unaware of what happened. Scarlett was picking out what color nail polish to use. Scarlett noticed her brother.

"What's going on, Hayden?" she asked.

Hayden went over to Scarlett. "Could you come talk to me in my room for a moment?" he asked as sweetly and brotherly as possible.

"Yeah..." Scarlett went over to the other room. "What can I do for you?"

"I brought you a gift Lettie." Hayden grinned. Scarlett lit up. She loved gifts.

"you got me a present!? Is it a puppy?" Scarlett bounced up and down on her toes.

"Close." Hayden smiled and opened the door to his closet causing Alex to fall out. Alex sat up his hands tied behind his back, "Crap..."

Scarlett blinked. She was in trouble now.

"Well I was gonna tell you who I asked for directions. It's not a puppy but it's still cool. Can we torture him?" she asked casually.

"Don't you have something to tell him Lettie?" Hayden crossed his arms.

Scarlett rolled her eyes. "Yes." she turned to Alex. "My real name is Scarlett. I'm the Red Queen's daughter. I didn't want anyone to find out who I really was." she turned back to Hayden. "Are you happy now?"

Hayden crossed his arms, "No." Alex looked away slightly hurt.

"Then what do you expect me to do?" demanded the princess. "Promise me you feel nothing for him."

"I've only felt anything for you, Mother, and Ches. But never romantic love. I swear to you on the jabberwocky's grave." Hayden nodded, satisfied.

"So what are we gonna do with the prisoner?" asked Scarlett.

"Lock him up for now." said Hayden.

Scarlett locked Alex back in the closet door. "Are we gonna show Mum?"

"Absolutely not." Hayden said. Who knows what their mother would do? Even he wasn't that sadistic.

Scarlett nodded. "So what do we do now? We have the son of our mother's enemy in the closet! Can you even begin to fathom what they'll do for us if they find a hostage!?" Scarlett whispered harshly. Then a proverbial lightbulb went off in her mind. "This is too perfect!" she said, grinning sadistically.

Hayden looked at her, "I'm not dumb Lettie I know what I'm doing."

"I know you do." she said. "What do we do now?"

"Lock him up and wait for our guests." Hayden said. "I don't want him in my closet.

Scarlett sighed. "fine. but I'm not hauling him all over to the dungeon."

"Whatever." Hayden said.

Scarlett sat on her brother's bed. She got an idea to cover her brother's tracks. She ran into the kitchen and got a vial of shrinking potion, forcing the contents of the bottle down her prisoner's throat. Then she put him in a locked box with some holes punched in the lid.


	19. Alena in Wonderland

Meanwhile in the Aboveland…

It was nearing midnight in the Kingsleigh house hold. A certain girl was stuck at home, ill, yes, Alex's younger sister Alena was sick, it was nothing more than a simple cold. But she had been shaken from her sleep from a sudden surge of worry. Alena rose from her bed, hair in unruly curls around her face, her gaze landed on the mirror above the gap where a fireplace had once been then on Alex's empty bed, he wasn't home yet. With a grumble she left the room, sneaking around to the games room, the dining hall and other rooms in the usually abandoned manor, when she couldn't find Alex anywhere she ran back into their room, dragging their desk to the old fireplace and climbing up through the glass, it rippled around her like water and then she was falling, or, floating down into the madness of Underland. She fell through the doors of the White Queen's in a panicked heap.

Mirana's daughter, Kaylin was mixing a potion in her mothers kitchen when she heard the noise and looked up, she hurried to the door. "Alena?"

Alena looked up, the girl looking as dizzy as ever. She looked up, still in her night gown. "Your Highness, I'm sorry to disturb you.."

"Here." Kaylin helped her up. "You're no disturbance." She asssured.

Alena stood with her help, "Thank you—"

Kaylin smiled, "What's troubling you?"

"Alex has been gone for hours.. He came to get me some tea while I was on bedrest but he hasn't returned…"

Kaylin looked at her, "That is strange, I will ask to see if anyone has seen him."

"Thank you Kaylin." Alena said in relief, but that unsettling feeling that he was in danger wasn't leaving her.

Kaylin put her hand on her shoulder, "You should rest. I'll send my knights to look."

Alena nodded, she straighted and spoke softly. "Is your mother in? I also wanted to ask her something.."

The young girl smiled slightly, looking up at the princess. "Thank you." Kaylin went to get her mother.

Alena waited patiently, but after a moment or so, she began to pace around, worrying about her brother. She hoped he was okay. Mirana walked out of the room and into where Alena was.

Alena bowed when she saw Mirana. "Y-Your Majesty." She spoke, never addressing Mirana by her first name without permission to do so.

"What is it child?" Mirana asked gently as she went over to her.

"I.. I wanted to ask you about madness.. Mother isn't nearly as lenient with questions about here as she used to be... and I believe Alex might be", She made an awkward gesture with her hands, "mad.. I wanted to help him but I hardly know anything about the word.. He wasn't like this when we used to visit as children." Alena said, rubbing her arm.

Mirana gave her a sympathetic look, "My dear, your brother was born with it. He hid it very well for a bit his age but the older he's gotten the more it's harder to hold in. Madness is a complicated thing but it isn't all bad."

Alena listened to Mirana's words carefully and frowned. "I just... I need to find him... I need to make sure he doesn't get angry.." She said, looking down at the floor. She cared deeply for her brother.

"We will find him." Mirana said, "My Knights are scouring all of Underland for your brother but you should rest. Come I'll get you a room to sleep in."

"Thank you, your majesty." Alena said softly, following Mirana.

Mirana opened a door to a magnificent room. "Here, you may rest here."

"Th-Thank you, your highness." Alena said, bowing her head.

"Rest my dear." Mirana said as Alena drifted off to sleep.


	20. The Red Haired Kindergartener

"Open the door! You're vasting me enough as it is!" shouted someone with a thick and fake sounding german accent from the other side of the door. Scarlett put down her dollies and her knife and opened it. She stared at the bearded cyborg man blankly and unimpressed like he was half a glass of warm water.

"Who are you?" she asked.

"I am Time. The infinite, the immeasurable, the immortal." He expected the red headed princess to be impressed, but honestly, she couldn't care less. She noticed the pathetic bouquet of white roses in the deity's hand.

"What are those for?"

"A gift for my libeling." Scarlett looked confused. "My girlfriend."

"You mean my mother…" Scarlett smirked. She could tell that the clock man had no idea what he was getting himself into.

"She has a…kindergartener?" he asked. Iracebeth had never told him this.

"I'm no kindergartner, I'm Scarlett! I'm fourteen years old and I'm homeschooled. But yes, there are two of us, actually, me and my elder brother. But he's snogging his girlfriend upstairs. Can I give you some advice, Mr. Time?"

"What is it, child?"

"NEVER buy my mother white roses. My mother is the RED queen. she hates the color white, it reminds her of my aunt who we hate. Besides, white roses symbolize purity and innocence, and my mother is obviously not a virgin. Red roses symbolize passion and romance."

Time was surprised by this girl's knowledge of things, and didn't want to mess up his chances with his beautiful queen.

"So what do I do with these?"

"Leave that to me." said Scarlett. She took him up to her suite. It looked like any other princess's room, but was decorated in red, black, and gold. but there was a toy guillotine, several headless dolls, their heads who knows where, disturbing images painted on the wall of the girl and what looked to be her brother taking over the world, and what looked like a rope made of shredded sheets tied to a post in her canopy bed. There was also a large portrait of the white queen that was slashed and vandalized with more red and black paint.

Scarlett took a pot of red paint out of a drawer in her vanity and artfully painted every bit of the petals red. There was no white showing. when she was done with her handiwork, she turned to her mother's new paramour.

"Give these to her." then a thought crossed her mind. "Do you give her presents often?" The man nodded.

"Every visit."

"Good, now make it double. One for me one for her. If you don't remember my present, I'll tell her all about your little screw up and you won't have a chance as her night visitor." Suddenly Iracebeth's voice thundered across the hallway!

"TICK TOCK! ARE YOU HERE YET?" Time ran out the door.

"Coming, my love!" he called.

Scarlett smirked. She just might have helped her mother find love again. Maybe someday her mother would thank her and be proud of her.

 **I'd like to thank my dear friend and confidante Ember Belli whose f** **ics** **inspired the creation of Scarlett and who gave me the idea of this chapter.**


	21. A Boy Like That

Scarlett started to feel guilty for keeping Alex prisoner in her room. She couldn't sleep, and felt a lot of remorse. She decided to confront Hayden about releasing him. Hayden was not convinced.

"He'll go to our aunt and get us in trouble." said Hayden, firmly.

"But what if he doesn't? His intentions seemed honorable." she whined,

Thinking on his feet, Hayden remembered a sappy story he'd read in their mother's dusty cobwebbed library once. "Lettie, have you ever heard of Romeo and Juliet?" he asked.

"No. Is it a good story?"

"It's one of the scariest things I've ever read." he said, weaving a twisted version of the tale to keep his sister safe.

"I want to hear it!" said Scarlett.

"All right…Once upon a time, there were two noble families who hated each other, the Montagues and the Capulets. They used to fight in the streets every day until the king rode in on his horse and told them if there was anymore fighting, he would have them executed. The fighting stopped for awhile, but then, a slurvish young rogue named Romeo, the son of lord Montague snuck into a masked ball held by lord Capulet where he seduced his host's beautiful young daughter, Juliet, who was about your age. He charmed her the way men charmed mother, and she ran away with him, and they got married in secret."

"how romantic!" sighed Scarlett, dreamily.

"But Romeo was evil, cruel, and perverse. When Juliet's dashing, kind, benevolent older brother, Tybalt tried to save his sister from Romeo's clutches, Romeo impaled him with a sword. Juliet was completely brainwashed at this point and fearing that Romeo would be executed, she poisoned herself so that they could die together. But then Romeo broke out of prison before his execution, dug up Juliet's corpse and carried it off into the night. They say he spent the rest of his days in a cave as a hermit, engaging in necrophilia with her and when he got bored with her, he ate her rotting flesh right off her body to hide the evidence. Then eventually he died from eating his own shit after he ran out of meat." Scarlett was shocked and horrified. She didn't know why Romeo would do such horrible things. She decided that Juliet was very stupid.

"Don't be like Juliet, dear sister. Don't let pretty words make you weak. Our prisoner is the son of our mother's enemy just like Romeo was the spawn of the enemy of Juliet's family. Imagine what he'd do to you if he had you in his sway."

"I'll never disobey you like that ever again!" Scarlett threw her arms around her brother, and sunk to the ground in tears. "I was so stupid! I'm never leaving the castle again!"

Hayden stroked his sister's fiery red curls, a troubled expression on his face, trying to school away the remorse he felt for tricking Scarlett. He did what he had to do. She was all he had.

"I know. You're better than that. That's why I'm here to protect you."


	22. Royals Official Theme Song

Hayden:

Our mum's been exiled for a while

and as her kids, we're stuck here too by association

We hate our abandoned castle home

Here in the outlands

And everybody else has teatime, drinking champagne out of slippers

dancing on the ashes of our castle

We don't care, we're riding Jabberwockies in our dreams

But everybody's like "oh my god, I really hate the Red Queen,

and I bet her bastard kids are real mean"

We don't care, we hate the White Queen's fancy airs

Scarlett:

Cause we should've been royals

The title's rightfully our mum's by blood

It wasn't in the cards for us

Because our Aunt's friend Alice sucks!

Iracebeth:

Let me be your ruler,

Scarlett and Hayden:

long live the red queen

Iracebeth:

And babies I'll rule

Scarlett and Hayden:

We'll rule We'll rule We'll rule

Iracebeth:

Make this dream a reality

My heirs and I, we've cracked the code

We count the days till revolution

And everyone who knows us knows that we're not going down so easy

And it will be bloody

Hayden:

And everybody else has teatime, drinking champagne out of slippers

dancing on the ashes of our castle

We don't care, we're riding Jabberwockies in our dreams

But everybody's like "oh my god, I really hate the Red Queen,

and I bet her bastard kids are real mean"

We don't care, we hate the White Queen's fancy airs

Scarlett:  
Cause we should've been royals

The title's rightfully our mum's by blood

It wasn't in the cards for us

Because our Aunt's friend Alice sucks!

Iracebeth:

Let me be your ruler,

Scarlett and Hayden:

long live the red queen

Iracebeth:

And babies I'll rule

Scarlett and Hayden:

We'll rule We'll rule We'll rule

Iracebeth:

Make this dream a reality

More power than we ever dreamed, and I'm in love with being queen

Scarlett and Hayden:

(Ooh ooh oh)

Scarlett:

We'll live our lives without a care

Hayden:

And then we'll give those pricks the chair!

Scarlett:

Cause we should've been royals

The title's rightfully our mum's by blood

It wasn't in the cards for us

Because our Aunt's friend Alice sucks!

Iracebeth:

Let me be your ruler,

Scarlett and Hayden:

long live the red queen

Iracebeth:

And babies I'll rule

Scarlett and Hayden:

We'll rule We'll rule We'll rule

Iracebeth:

Make this dream a reality

 **A/N: ok so I really hate Lorde, but this song was the title of my fic and I decided to make a theme song. I haven't listened to this song in years, so go easy on me.**


	23. Scarlett and Hayden vs Nanny Stella

"They're every parent's worst nightmare." said the announcer's voice. Footage was shown of two boys are in a bedroom. The older boy jumps around on the bed and throws a blue pillow at the younger one, the younger one cries, gets up, and throws the pillow back at him.

There was footage of a girl in the bathroom with her father screaming, "Shut up! I hate you! I hate you!" before running off, leaving her father confused.

"Kids completely out of control." stated the announcer over clips of a boy at the dining table at home, next to a bowl of spaghetti. He picks up the bowl, turns it over, dumps the spaghetti to the floor, and wears the bowl as a hat, sliding on the floor, screaming "Look, I'm skating, I'm skating!"

It's time to call Nanny 911. a silhouetted nanny walks in from the left and into the show's coats of arms. Next shot is a camera zooming into NANNY CENTRAL. Inside the manor the nannies are shown: Nanny Stella, Nanny Deb, Nanny Yvonne, and Nanny Skexis. "We've gathered a team of world-class nannies to help families in crisis."

five kids are shown on a living room sofa. One kid dances around, another repeatedly bangs an object on the floor, two others throw stuff to the floor " Parents of America, help is on the way!" said the announcer. "Tonight…"

Clips of Scarlett playing with her guillotine and dolls, Hayden painting on the walls, and Iracebeth in bed with Time, oblivious to it all appear on the screen. Scarlett is screaming because she nicked herself on the blade.

Next shot shows various filmed evidence of Iracebeth and her children swearing casually in every sentence that comes out of their mouth. There's an exaggerated amount of censor noises.

"The two teenage children of a washed up queen just won't behave, and Nanny Stella is about to set them straight." said the announcer.

Stella, a stout blonde, walks toward the castle.. She approaches the front door and knocks.

"It's time for Nanny Stella to show Scarlett and Hayden that their ways are _not_ going to be tolerated anymore!" she announced in the third person.

Scarlett and Hayden were indoors gambling with some jewelry and candy instead of cash. Scarlett looked at Hayden, blankly. "Fine, I fold. You win." she pushed a tray of tarts in his direction, when a knock at the door was heard.

"Get the door, Lettie." Hayden commanded. Scarlett opened the door to see the nanny.

"Hello. I'm Nanny Stella. Your aunt sent me." Scarlett turned to Hayden.

"WE HAVE AN INTRUDER!" she yelled.

"Yes, you two must be Scarlett and Hayden. Where is your mother?" asked the woman.

"She's with her boytoy." said Hayden, shocking the nanny.

"Hayden, let's go riding." said Scarlett, as the two started to go off.

"Hold on. There's going to be some rule changes around here. No riding your horses until chores are done." said Nanny Stella. The siblings looked at the nanny and then each other before breaking out into hysterical laughter.

"I'm serious. Put down the playing cards and the weapons and we'll clean the kitchen."

"Do I look like a maid to you?" Scarlett demanded, her voice rising. The stupid woman took Scarlett's dagger and Hayden's cards and put them on a shelf.

"Your things are going right here until you do the dishes." said Nanny Stella, unfazed by Scarlett's entitled attitude. Almost immediately, Hayden snatched the stuff back.

"This isn't acceptable."

"Quit stealing our stuff, you stupid cow." said Scarlett.  
"You two are going in time out." She sat them on little red footstools. "Whenever either of you are naughty, you spend five minutes in time out."

"And what pray tell is keeping us here?" Hayden asked bored.

"It's the time out chair." explained the nanny as if that made sense. The two surly children got up out of their seats almost immediately and walked away.

"You two don't have a choice!"

"This is getting irritating." Scarlett told Hayden, who got an idea.

"If you have a problem with how we do things here, you might as well take it up with our mother." he said. "She's in the bedchamber upstairs at the end of the sure to tell her our aunt sent you and all the issues you have with our upbringing." The nanny walked upstairs as the two exiled heirs sniggered.

And that is how Nanny Stella's head ended up on a spike in front of the castle as a warning to others less than 3 hours later.


	24. What Happened To Stayne

Iracebeth and Stayne had been ignoring each other for some time now. Besides, she'd been acting very strange. She was trying to tend to her young son, and failing miserably. Just the other day, she'd mutilated his favorite toy. It seemed that she'd taken to eating her feelings, as she'd gained a lot of weight recently, and the Knave couldn't help but notice. One day, he decided to break the silence.

"You realize you've gotten quite plump of late" he observed, visiting the former queen in her chambers.

"Fuck you, Stayne, I'm pregnant." she said miserably.

This explained a lot. She'd been throwing up violently the first few months of their exile, and now that he got a good look at her, her waist was expanding but he couldn't see any extra weight anywhere else.

"Whose is it?" he asked dumbly.

"I don't bloody know. Most likely it's yours. But it could be the Hatter's. I spent a night in his arms while he was my prisoner." the knave's jaw dropped. He didn't want to be the father of any child of hers. This was the worst possible scenario. But there was a chance it wasn't his.

"How many months?" he asked, trying to comprehend.

"I don't know. I first realized it a couple weeks after banishment. Probably 6 or 7 months now." as she said this, the child she carried within her shifted to one side as if to reach for its possible father.

"It knows your voice." she said solemnly. Stayne was disgusted. He didn't want to be associated with his former lover's spawn. He abruptly left the room, with Iracebeth on his heels. He took a sword and sunk it through his chest. He'd wanted nothing more than to die after banishment and now he had his wish.

Iracebeth stood over his body, horrified. How would she raise Hayden and this new baby on her own? She decided to tell her son what was happening to her. Maybe he'd understand and step up to his role as a brother. She could feel her unborn child twisting and writhing inside her as if it knew something was wrong. She ignored the feeling and went to break the news to Hayden.


End file.
